Jo Raphael: Cold, damp rentals should be thing of the past as Healthy Homes standards kick in

Cold, damp and unhealthy homes should be a thing of the past, writes Jo Raphael. Photo / Getty Images

OPINION

Winter is cold, it happens every year. This is not new.

The polar blast currently making its way across the country, leaving shivering Kiwis in its wake makes for great fodder for office banter as colleagues dig out their winter coats and colourful scarves.

I see brave souls out and about stubbornly sticking to their short shorts and jandals – to each their own, but better them than me, I think to myself.

But I do feel for people living in homes that are not up to standard, dealing with sickly children, some suffering from illnesses such as asthma, rheumatic fever and respiratory infections.

I've lived in a few rentals of various types in my life.

A 1970s brick two-bedroom duplex was cosy and warm with its own log burner, a 1960s renovated weatherboard in Tauranga with thermal curtains and a heat pump was quite comfortable, however an unrenovated 1930s stucco in Rotorua was by far the most brutal during the winter.

It was cold and damp, the curtains were flimsy, the windows were covered in condensation every morning and I couldn't hang clothes in the wardrobe because they would grow mould.

Our only form of heating was the house's original fireplace, which meant most of the heat went up the chimney, or electric and gas heaters – none of these forms of heating was practical or efficient.

This week the Healthy Homes standards kick in, meaning landlords have to upgrade their rentals to meet insulation, heating and ventilation standards within 90 days of a new tenant moving in.

The Government has brought in the laws to help the estimated 1.4 million renters living in 527,853 rentals to lead healthier, more stable lives.

Some landlords have kicked back with some saying the new laws have added to their costs, some calling the requirements "unnecessary costs".

These views are, in my opinion, parsimonious. Landlords should understand that their obligations don't end when a tenant is installed.

Just like they have to ensure the property is safe and secure and has a working kitchen and bathroom, so should they make sure it is healthy for those living in it.

These upgrades will surely improve the lives of their tenants, and if we are to appeal to landlords' financial instincts, if not their humanitarian heartstrings, every dollar spent on improving a property must surely be recouped as it increases in value.

So as certain as we are that winter comes once a year, so we should be that our homes are warm, safe and healthy.